Felix Hernandez has a 10-team no-trade clause in his contract with the Seattle Mariners. During this season, the right-hander will be able to block deals to the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and two unknown teams, a major-league source said.

The Mariners aren’t looking to trade Hernandez and right now there is no reason at all to expect a trade anytime soon. However, if a trade with the Yankees did go down Hernandez could block it. That’s because, as Morosi states, the Yankees are one of 10 teams included in his no-trade clause.

Don’t take this to mean that Hernandez doesn’t want to come to the Bronx. Instead this is just him, or his agent, being smart about it. Having the Yankees included in his NTC clause simply provides them with leverage. If a trade goes down Hernandez could turn and demand something from the Yankees, or the Mariners for that matter.

This sort of thing has become routine. Just like both Zack Greinke and Joakim Soria, who both had the Yankees listed on teams they could veto trades to, but it was just a way to get what they wanted out of the Yankees had they been dealt there. It’s the same reason that Hernandez had practically all the large market teams on his NTC, leverage.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, this probably doesn’t matter a whole lot. Hernandez is owed $70.5 million over the next four years which for a pitcher of his caliber is a great deal. The Mariners insist they are not interested in dealing him and because of his age, 24, and his contract there is no reason not to believe them.

About Rob Abruzzese

Rob Abruzzese created Bronx Baseball Daily in 2008 just before graduating from Brooklyn College. He currently serves BBD as its editor and works as a reporter at the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Follow Rob on Twitter @RobAbruzzese.

2 thoughts on “Felix Hernandez Can Block Trades to Yankees”

King Felix is a long shot to arrive in New York but it would be nice to have a pitcher of his caliber in the rotation…if we held onto Banuelos and Betances, this could be a nice crop of young talented pitchers that could bring a lot of world series action to New York…